Page 4 January 10, 2013 Political Penguin One Man’s Opinion Duane Plank prior to the end of the world when Y2K struck, By Gerry Chong will only be $1,027B short of bringing our Long time, no see. That’s what my mom, did not stock up my cellar with water and In 1961, Robert Heinlein wrote the sci-fi revenue and spending into balance. Wheeee! the beloved Lupe, used to say to me when weapons and ammo to protect myself against cult classic Stranger in a Strange Land. In For such an achievement, the President has I occasionally returned to the Manhattan not sure who when the world was going to this tale, Valentine Smith was born on Mars earned his $7 million vacation in Hawaii. Beach estate to visit the family after I was end because the clock struck 12. to human parents on an exploratory mission. January 2: While infinitesimally small, unceremoniously exiled to the far reaches of Think that I went upstairs in the Grand After all the space travelers die, Valentine is that debt reduction down payment would Torrance many, many moons ago. Avenue mansion, hung out with my sister and raised by Martians until some 20 years later appear to constitute progress, but it’s not. So a couple of weeks into 2013 and apparently her significant other and played board games when another expedition from earth rescues The Tax Policy Center says over 10 years the fiscal cliff has been averted. Now, did you ‘til I got bored and crashed on the floor prior him. Upon his arrival on earth, of course, he the tax increases should generate $620B in really think that all of those self-important to the clock striking 12 and the still-alive Dick is a stranger in a strange land. revenue. Unfortunately, the bill also included bureaucrats that we sent off to Washington, D.C. Clark making his tape-delayed Times Square Heinlein never wrote a sequel, but if he $330B in new spending, so only about half to cavort in the hallowed halls of the nation’s ball-dropping countdown. Cuz we all know, had, his hero Smith would have written a of the new revenue will go toward deficit capital would let this money-grubbing, capitalistic it’s all about Times Square and New York, diary with these entries: reduction. The CBO says, on balance, this country slide further into the financial abyss? right? Unless you live in California, where you January 1: The President appeared on bill will add $3.9T to the national debt over Like almost all complex negotiations, the don’t give a hoot about the Empire Staters who Meet the Press and exclaimed he had cut 10 years…an increase that would not have deal went down to the last day, with the CNN lemming-like jam in to Times Square to somehow government spending by $1 trillion in fiscal been there if the bill had not been passed. pontificators, as well as the incredibly biased get noticed by the light-in-the-loafers Anderson honks on the Fox News Network, braying that Cooper or the queen of facelifts and plastic “The President says keeping tax rates the same for the the world as we know it would end unless a surgery, alleged comedienne Kathy Griffin. middle class constitutes a tax cut…..but that’s not true.” deal was struck. So haven’t had this bully pulpit available Why, it was such a big deal that the recently, but look forward eagerly to 2013 and 2011. In fact, however, the Congressional This is strange arithmetic in a strange land. POTUS cut short another one of his extended pontificating on the body politic, whether it be Budget Office said spending in 2010 was And it gets worse. The President says Hawaiian vacations to oversee his “victory” in the events unfolding many miles away on the $3.465T and increased to $3.603T in 2011, keeping tax rates the same for the middle the negotiations. Tried to stay abreast of the shores of the Potomac, or up in Sac Town where a jump of $147B. In Mars, our press would class constitutes a tax cut…..but that’s not poli sci issues as much as possible over the the rejuvenated Gov. Jerry Brown seems to be have castigated him for a bald-faced lie, but true. The Social Security tax will increase by holidays, but will admit that occasionally my hanging in there. With the November passing here the press is silent. It is a strange land. nearly 50%. As a result, 77% of tax payers attention may have strayed. of his Prop 30 to help out the schools in Cali January 2: After months of partisan will see a tax increase in 2013. Those earning How much of this doom and gloom were and hopefully forestall another gouging of my haggling, Congress and the President bragged $40,000-$50,000 will see a tax increase of we expected to take as we opened our wallets wallet to continue financing the Kid’s education about a compromise spending accord. Again, $579. Those earning $50,000-$75,000 will and swiped our credit cards to buy more at UCSB, Brown seems to be on a roll. according to the Congressional Budget lose $822, and so forth. So a tax reduction for mean-nothing Christmas electronics for family Oh, and in case that you are interested, Office, the compromise resulted in $15B in the middle class is not a tax reduction at all. members who probably already have more of the last Governor of Cali prior to the Brown spending cuts, but $620B in tax increases, All this arithmetic makes my head spin, but these desensitizing toys than they will ever need? resurfacing, the actor and serial philanderer a 41:1 ratio of cuts to tax increases. Yet the it is much ado about nothing. The Washington Was a scant three weeks or so ago when the Schwarzenegger, apparently has a new movie President calls this a “balanced approach” leadership assumes the super rich will docilely world was supposed to end, at least according hitting the big screens. I, for one, doubt that to deficit reduction. I struggle to understand pay the increased taxes. Is there any doubt to some type of Mayan calendar? Will opine I will pony up the outrageous 15 or 20 bucks these political leaders. they will restructure their income and avoid that I am too intelligent to put much stock into to watch the roided-up action hero try to raise January 2: In 2013, the CBO projects the the tax increase? what a bunch of dead Mayans prognosticated enough cash to pay off his lovely wife, Maria deficit will be $1,089B, while the tax increase I think I’ll return to Mars where people eons ago... Back in in the December of 1999, Shriver… • will be $62B. The good news is that we are rational. •
Lawndale 01_10_13
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